I recently made these two models from the old Mayhem Junkyard set and I thought you might like to see them.

Front view.


Back view.

You can see some more pictures of them and read my review of them at my blog-site here - http://vampifansworldoftheundead.blogspot.co.uk/2012/08/wwg-digger-and-grabber.html
They weren't the easiest of models to make (the arms and their attachments were quite a challenge) but I must admit that I'm very happy with how they've turned out.

Those look great!

Thanks, Skunkape.

It was pointed out to me by one of my blog followers that the bucket on the digger was pointing the wrong way. D'oh! What a stupid mistake to make! I have corrected it and at the same time I raised the claw arm further off the ground. So, all is good now. I just need to take some new photos!

Great work as always, Vamps! Nice to see the junkyard stuff getting some love.

Thanks, Matt. I have been making a lot of stuff from the Junkyard set recently. It seems to me that this would be a very easy set to convert to TLX format. The main thing that needs doing are the ground tiles. The garage is 12" by 6" which ought to make it relatively easy to convert. The rest of the stuff are all props and they wouldn't need any work. Anyone up to the challenge?

3" HIGH though...

Good point! I'd forgotten about that.

Heh, was so enthralled by the models that I didn't even notice the bucket!

The bucket on an excavator is made to be removed, and some models have made this an 'on the fly' operation with a locking system that can be disengaged to swap buckets or to mount other tools (like a grab or a steel roller for tamping soil to the right hardness).

I have seen operators use this to swap the bucket placement back and forth, from the classic 'curled back pulling toward the operator' position to the 'scooping away from the operator' position yours is in above. That can be really handy when they are digging around previously buried pipes and foundations.

Alexio
(I'm an archaeologist, part of the job is watching trenching and excavations)

Seeing this work has me wanting to go bakc and revisit the description for the Junkyard set, I think it just edged up a bit on my "List of Things to Get Someday". My mind is already spinning with kitbash possibilities for those treads...

@Alexio. I am indebted to your comment. My knowledge of real life construction vehicles is quite woeful.